Submit racecourse ownership details for 100 years, State tells BMC

MUMBAI: In a turf war, the state government has asked the BMC to submit the details of ownership of the 225-acre Mahalaxmi racecourse land in the last 100 years. The directions were issued to the BMC at a meeting in Mantralaya early this week.

A new controversy erupted when chief minister Prithviraj Chavan during the recent legislative session said there had been a demand from industrialists for a heliport in Mumbai. A study was conducted at the Mahalaxmi racecourse and its land was reportedly found to be ideal for a heliport. But Chavan clarified that no decision on setting up a heliport there had been taken. The mention of the racecourse being an ideal spot for a heliport has elicited vehement criticism from citizens' groups and activists, who have opposed any change in the land use, saying the city already lacked green open space.

But the Shiv Sena, the ruling party in the BMC, which has been wanting to set up a theme park at the racecourse in memory of its late chief Balasaheb Thackeray, said the land belonged to the civic body and it would set up a park there. "The government can rescind any resolution passed by the BMC. It can also issue a directive to the BMC to implement its order but it does not wish to do so. For now, we want to establish the ownership of the land," said a source.

The land caught in the controversy was leased out to Royal Western India Turf Club for 99 years. The lease ended in May last year and is yet to be renewed. Mantralaya sources said the last time the lease ended, it was renewed after a decade.